Convent of Mercy, Schull

In 1904 Rev. John O’Connor applied to Bantry for Sisters to open a branch in Schull, and to take charge of the Girls’ School. Five Sisters went to from Bantry. They went to live in a house in Air Hill. Their first benefactors were Mr. and Mrs. O’Keeffe of Schull.

They started to teach in the National School with 66 pupils. Numbers increased and some pupils who had left returned. There was a secondary top there in later years which prepared students for examinations

The foundation stone of the new convent was laid in 1907 and blessed by Bishop O’Callaghan. The Sisters moved to the new convent of the Sacred Heart on Nov.1st. 1908. On that morning they set out walking from Air Hi1l at 6.00am.

In 1996 planning began for the building of a primary school on a new site for the amalgamation of the Convent National School and the Boys’ National School. The last Mercy Sister who was Principal, retired also that year. The new school called, Scoil Mhuire, opened its doors 14 December 1998.  The official opening took place 4May 2000. The school was extended in 2011.

As there was no secondary school in Schull students had to go to boarding schools or travel long distances every day to go to secondary schools. In December 1978 Schull Development Association began to negotiate for a school.  Finally in 1983Schull Community School was opened under the co-trusteeship of Cork VEC and the Diocese of Cork and Ross. Cork VEC later became Cork CETB. The late Sr. Ann Coughlan was chaplain and deputy principal there for ten years in the early years.

Another Sister of Mercy was chaplain there for a few years in the mid-1990s. A Sister was also Learning Resource Support Teacher in the 2000s in Scoil Mhuire N.S., Schull which was the base school and also in Goleen and Lissagriffin Primary Schools and in Ballydehob for a shorter period.                                             

The Convent was refurbished in 2007-2008 and Sisters still live there until September 2022 when the house was closed, The Sisters relocated to Kinsale, Clonakilty and St Marie’s of the Isle communities.

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